The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Tendulkar's compliment biggest achievement: Valthaty

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 19, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Tendulkar's compliment biggest achievement: Valthaty

— PHOTO: PTI

Paul Valthaty has so far scored 458 runs from 13 matches and is a frontrunner to win the Orange Cap.

New Delhi: One of the frontrunners to win the Orange Cap this IPL season, Kings XI Punjab's opener Paul Valthaty has said getting a compliment from his idol Sachin Tendulkar was the biggest achievement for him.

One of the revelations of the IPL-IV, Valthaty has so far scored 458 runs in 13 matches. Only his teammate Australia's Shaun Marsh (491) is ahead of him in the run-scorers' chart, while Mumbai Indians skipper Tendulkar is sixth with 408 runs from 12 matches.

“I think either (Chris) Gayle or (Lasith) Malinga will get the player of the tournament award but I am happy with my own performance. To get a compliment from none other than Sachin Tendulkar, whom I idolise, is the biggest award for me,” Valthaty told pressmen.

“Sachin and Matthew Hayden have been my idols. Sachin briefly spoke to me after a match in Mumbai. He congratulated me on my batting. I can't forget the moment.

“It has been the high point of my career, my biggest award,” said the Mumbaikar.

A top-order batsman who occasionally bowls medium pace, Valthaty shot into the limelight with a blistering century (120 off 63 balls) against Chennai Super Kings.

Valthaty, who has dominated all opposition bowlers in this season, rates West Indies great Viv Richards and dashing India opener Virender Sehwag as the most explosive batsmen in world cricket.— PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport